You can read the title in two ways. It all comes down to having to do things for work, family, health, house, and on and on. Paying bills, sweeping the floor, cleaning the litter box…oh the list is endless. But, be honest, doesn’t it feel good to have paid the bills, walk on a clean floor and made kitty happy? Sure. So why do we turn into our whiny child self and even if we don’t say it, we act it out, “But, I don’t want to.”

Here are 3 Reasons that Come to Mind:

1.) You are bored and this doesn’t rise to the level of fun.

2.) You like sabotaging yourself even on things you enjoy.

3.) It has become a habit to procrastinate.

You can add yours to the list.

How would you know that boredom is the heart of this battle for your time? The signs are clear. You do stuff that is non-productive, self-indulgent, that thumbs your nose in the face of having to “obey” an inner voice (or a real boss). Let’s see, should I do laundry or play video games? Should I grocery shop or read the latest romance novel? Dust the furniture or text friends or look at Facebook?

Can you read between the lines and see rebellion at work? It’s a real tug-of-war going on and we didn’t even know we joined the game. One part of you wants to succeed and even enjoy doing tasks that bring a good feeling and the other part is having a tantrum of “don’t want to.” Why is that?

Nobody likes to be told what to do. We all know what to do and why we should do it.

You’re smart. But, when you find yourself playing games, and doing everything you can to avoid doing the task, you may want to understand why.

Chances are there is some pleasure in avoiding doing what you need to do. A little reward but it is short -lived. Then, there is the chance you’ve developed a habit. Habits don’t form unless we concentrate on them, repeat them, and generally don’t think about them. We just act on them.

Do you want to let go of the nagging voice and enjoy doing whatever you want to do without being controlled by inner voices, habits and unconscious behaviors? What are your dreams and what are your daily chores/tasks that need doing? Would you agree that both require concentration? Determination? Overcoming fear?

There are plenty of examples of people who were just going along, letting life happen to them, who woke up and developed their potential, essentially becoming a different type person. You can find that turning point in your life, too. It is a matter of choice. It’s not talent, money, being better or smarter than the next person. It’s the result of changing habits and concentrating on what you want in your life.

Habits are acquired. Habits can change. One person thinks “I’ll do it later when I feel like it and procrastinates doing anything,” Another person goes ahead and does the work (writes his/her book or cleans the house for example). They both have the same opportunities. One will complain and make excuses. The other moves onto the next project without all the inner drama.

Remember, I said that we don’t like to be told what to do? Teachers try, parents push, books illustrate and motivate us to try new things. But, nothing will work until you learn it for yourself. Life gives us opportunities to improve, reach deep, become more than we ever imagined — if we stay with it. Don’t quit!

People who have risen to highest victories didn’t have smooth sailing. In fact, you’ll read that most had challenges, setbacks, and were misunderstood and discouraged by family and friends. But, they stayed with their dreams. Don’t let, “But I don’t want to” hold you back. When you are living for your dreams, you won’t mind the daily chores. They will not claim the centerpiece of your attention.

As Wayne Dyer used to say, “You never regret what you do in life. You only regret what you don’t do.”

If you need help identifying why you can’t beat your “but, I don’t want to”, you may want to check out my free call on Losing Weight for Life.  Though it’s about weight loss, the focus of the call is on getting to the root of bad habits to change them and create a better life http://themuseskiss.com/loseweightforlifecall/.